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This paper explores how conflicting institutional logics shape the behaviors of macro- and micro-level actors in their use of a calculative practice. Thereby, this paper explains how quantification can undermine the intended purpose of a governance system based on a single number.

The study draws upon the literature on calculative practices and institutional logics to present the case of how a single number—specifically the conversion factor for Atlantic Cod, established by macro-level actors for the purposes of governance within the Norwegian fishing industry—is interpreted and used by micro-level actors in the industry. The study is based on documents, field observations and interviews with fishers, landing facilities, and control authorities.

The use of the conversion factor, while intended to protect fish stock and govern industry actions, does not always align with the institutional logics of micro-level actors. Especially during the winter season, these actors may seek to serve their interests, leading to potential system gaming. The reliance on a single number that overlooks seasonal nuances can motivate unintended behaviors, undermining the governance system’s intentions.

Integrating the literature on calculative practices with an institutional logics perspective, this study offers novel insights into the challenges of using quantification for the governance of complex industries. In particular, the paper reveals that when the logics of macro- and micro-level actors conflict in a single-number governance system, unintended outcomes arise due to a domination of the macro-level logics.

This paper aims to investigate the equivalent relationship between accelerated corrosion tests and real environmental spectrum of suspenders in long-span suspension bridge considering multiple factors action.

Based on Faraday's law, corrosion current was used as a measure of metal corrosion, and the equivalent conversion relationship between laboratory environment and real service environment was established. The equivalent conversion method for bridge structural steel had been determined under different temperature, humidity, pH value and NaCl concentration conditions. The compilation of environmental spectra for large span bridges considering multiple factors and the principle of equivalent conversion have been proposed.

Environmental factors, including temperature, humidity, pH value and NaCl concentration, have significant impact on the corrosion degree of suspension steel wires, and only considering these two factors for equivalent conversion cannot accurately reflect the true service environment of the bridge. The 33.8-h salt spray accelerated corrosion test using the standard conditions can be equivalent to one year of suspenders corrosion in a real service environment.

The equivalent accelerated corrosion method for steel wires proposed in this study can effectively predict the corrosion degree of the suspenders, which has been verified to be correct and can provide theoretical guidance for the development of corrosion test plans for steel wires and engineering technical basis for anti-corrosion control and calendar life research of suspension bridge suspenders.

With the increasing spread of ontologies in various domains, units have gradually become an essential part of ontologies and units ontologies have been developed to offer a better expression ability for the practical usage. From the perspectives of architecture, comparison and reuse, the purpose of this paper is to provide a comprehensive survey on four mainstream units ontologies: quantity-unit-dimension-type, quantities, units, dimensions and values, ontology of units of measure and units ontology (UO) of the open biomedical ontologies, in order to address well the state of the art and the reuse strategies of the UO.

An architecture of units ontologies is presented, in which the relations between key factors (i.e. units of measure, quantity and dimension) are discussed. The criteria for comparing units ontologies are developed from the perspectives of organizational structure, pattern design and application scenario. Then, the authors compare four typical units ontologies based on the proposed comparison criteria. Furthermore, how to reuse these units ontologies is discussed in materials science domain by utilizing two reuse strategies of partial reference and complete reference.

Units ontologies have attracted high attention in the scientific domain. Based on the comparison of four popular units ontologies, this paper finds that different units ontologies have different design features from the perspectives of basis structure, units conversion and axioms design; a UO is better to be applied to the application areas that satisfy its design features; and many challenges remain to be done in the future research of the UO.

This paper makes an extensive review on units ontologies, by defining the comparison criteria and discussing the reuse strategies in the materials domain. Based on this investigation, guidelines are summarized for the selection and reuse of units ontologies.

The purpose of this paper is to present evidence of how different domains of knowledge (basic, experiential, emotional and innovative knowledge) relate to knowledge conversion processes (socialization, externalization, combination and internalization) in the firm.

Confirmatory principal component analyses were performed on knowledge domain and knowledge conversion variables. Path analyses, based on stepwise multiple regressions, were performed in order to determine the strength and directionality of the relationships between the four processes of knowledge conversion and the four knowledge domains.

The results indicate that knowledge based on experience impacts the conversion of tacit knowledge within an organization, leading to innovative knowledge and competitive advantage. Emotional knowledge impacts the knowledge conversion process similarly. Only basic knowledge impacts the explicit components of combination.

First, the results of this study are drawn from a fairly large sample in only one firm, and hence, one industry. Not all of the middle managers who participated in this study are equally familiar with knowledge creation and dissemination within their organization.

The results suggest that investing in basic training of employees and managers in order to reach a basal level of knowledge can act as a precursor to fuel other types of knowledge conversion as well as the innovative and experiential knowledge domains.

Past research has not examined how the domains of knowledge (the content) are related to the conversion of knowledge. In addition, little research in the area of knowledge conversion has taken place in a European setting. This paper addresses the deficits.

IT does not require a very large crystal ball to envisage the growth of aviation during the next fifteen years. Sea travel has become too slow; air travel has become reliable and more independent of weather conditions; world trade has forced travel into the remotest areas; industrial countries have become more affluent, and the urge for private world travel has accompanied affluence. It is not surprising, therefore, to hear the Chairman of the British Airport Authority, Peter Masefield, predict a fifteenfold growth in air traffic in the United Kingdom during the next twenty years and to find the F.A.A. confidently anticipating a doubling of passenger traffic in five years and a nine‐fold increase in small jets in the same period.

Nitrogen oxides (NO_x) have been considered as primarily responsible for many serious environmental problems. Removing NO is the key task to remove NO_x hazards. To clarify, NO removal process for pitch-based spherical-activated carbons (PSACs), an online prediction and optimization technique in real-time based on support vector machine algorithm in regression (support vector regression [SVR]) is discussed. The purpose of this paper is to develop a predictor and optimizer system on selective catalytic reduction of NO (SCRN) using experimental data and data-driven SVR intelligence methods.

Predictor and optimizer using developed SVR have been proposed. To modify the training efficiency of SVR, the authors especially customize batch normalization and k-fold cross-validation techniques according to the unique characteristics of PSACs model.

The results present that SVR provides a property regression model since it can linkage linear and non-linear process and property relationships in few experimental data sets. Also, the integrated normalization and k-fold cross-validation show a satisfying improvement and results for SVR optimization. The predicted results of predictor and optimizer in single and double factor systems are in excellent agreement with the experimental data.

SCRN-PO for predicting and optimization SCRN problems is developed by data-driven methods. The outperformed SCRN-PO system is used to predict multiple-factors property parameters and obtain optimum technological parameters in real-time. Also, experiment duration is greatly shortened.

This study aims to assess the contribution of telecenters in expanding the capabilities of rural women to achieve their development outcomes in three rural districts in Tanzania.

The study conducted 12 focus group discussions with 37 rural women users and 36 rural women non-users of telecenters and semi-structured interviews with telecenter managers in the selected districts. The framework for the study is based on Sen’s capability approach.

The study noted that telecenters may enable rural women to build some capabilities (social, financial, human and political capabilities), and inhibit others, resulting in diverse development outcomes, based on the choices made and conversion factors. These conversion factors included institutional factors (inadequate computers, space and personnel, unreliable electrical power and slow internet connectivity) and individual factors (multiple responsibilities, status, low-level of education, language barrier, lack of information and communication technology (ICT) skills and technology efficacy and inability to afford ICT short courses). Other conversion factors (e.g. availability of affordable ICTs) enabled rural women to build their capabilities.

This is a comprehensive study that provides findings for rural telecenters to plan and allow rural women to expand their capabilities and achieve their development goals in Tanzania or other settings with similar conditions.

This paper aims to identify how digitalization affects entrepreneurial attitudes in rural areas in Indonesia, a country in the Global South. The development of digital technology can help entrepreneurs, in that faster and easier information acquisition helps rural communities to identify new opportunities and innovate. Yet, digital development generates higher disparity, and thus, not all people can benefit from digitalization. Although digital technology can facilitate the development of entrepreneurship, its benefits depend on individual preferences. In this regard, the capability approach is used so as to reflect how different valuations of digital technology in rural entrepreneurs influence their attitude with regard to recognizing business opportunities and taking risks.

A double case study approach is used in which this study examines two cases of rural entrepreneurs in Indonesia that represent different uses of digital technologies and socio-economic rural contexts: coffee entrepreneurs in Kintamani and craft producers in Kamasan village. In so doing, semi-structured interviews were conducted with local entrepreneurs and communities according to purposive and snowball sampling techniques. The qualitative data were then analysed using a constant comparative technique which allows us to develop a conceptual argument by observing patterns within and between the cases.

The findings show that digitalization shapes the attitude of rural entrepreneurs differently, although the same opportunity from using digital technology is present in the village. Social and environmental factors facilitate the rural entrepreneurs to consider using digital technology to develop their businesses. However, as each individual entrepreneur has a different valuation of digital technology, the benefits it offers – such as broader market opportunities and new business ideas – vary. Entrepreneurs who consider digital technology to be a valuable resource for developing their businesses are more curious to explore its benefits.

The capability approach provides a new perspective in understanding rural entrepreneurship. First, the authors demonstrate that the success of rural entrepreneurship is influenced not only by concrete things (e.g. resources) but also the individual perspective on these resources which may vary across entrepreneurs. Second, the authors show not only the potential differences in socio-cultural contexts in which the capability approach is applied but also how socio-cultural values and collectivism influence the individual valuation of resources that could benefit entrepreneurs.

The elevation of a residential building, or façade, affords aesthetic and functional value to tenants. Façades embody the design of the core product, i.e. the building’s unit. When carefully executed, they contribute to the attractiveness, livability and sustainability of urban areas. The purpose of this study is to show how façades influence consumer decision, and to identify the consumers affected more by façades, i.e., product design.

Hinging on notions from product design and appearance, this research underscores the ways by which façades affect potential tenants. It also proposes that personality dimensions (i.e. concern with own physical appearance and view of achievement) identify the tenants affected more by façades. A study involving 1,091 consumers was performed to test the hypotheses.

Functional and aesthetic façades facilitated the tenant decision to buy or rent a living unit in three ways: attraction, convection and conversion. Two tenant segments (performers and egotists) were the most affected by façades. Hence, key consumer segments including self-actualizers would be less influenced by product design.

Construction companies should focus on delivering functional, aesthetic and well-maintained façades to boost satisfaction and sales. They should view the resources allocated to this purpose as an investment. Certain tenants are more affected by façades. Companies should identify the consumer segments more affected by design cues to better respond to their preferences. Policymakers are encouraged to set guidelines that foster well-executed façades in urban areas.

This research underscored the ways by which the façades of residential buildings shape consumer decision. In addition, it provided a typology to help pinpoint the tenants more affected by façades. Finally, it elaborated design theories in the context of residential building façades, which can be used by future researchers to understand the role of façade in fulfilling tenants’ needs and expectations.

Over the past decade, biofuels production in the European Union and the United States has boomed – much of this due to government mandates and subsidies. The United States has now surpassed Brazil as the world's leading producer of ethanol. The economic and environmental impact of these biofuel programs has become an important question of public policy. Due to the complex intersectoral linkages between biofuels and crops, livestock as well as energy activities, CGE modeling has become an important tool for their analysis. This chapter reviews recent developments in this area of economic analysis and suggests directions for future research.